Another awesome evening with Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns

Got there early tonight, and they were setting up in The Lounge for a TV interview shoot with Jerry Lopez by noted Vegas entertainment personality and radio/TV host Tony Sacca. His TV crew stayed and shot the first set as well, and Tony sat in with the band for a number.

First, before we get to the rest of the copy and pics, FYI, the band will be playing the new Palms Pearl Theatre next Monday night (March 12th), from 8 pm. to 11 p.m. And, the fabulous MOSAIC will be joining the band onstage. Save the date and spread the word.

Tickets are free, but you have to have one to get in. They will be available at the Palms box office beginning noon Thursday. Here's the in-house memo to Palms employees (click to enlarge):

Again, showtime next Monday will be 8 p.m., not 10:15, and, yeah, of course, it'll be open to the public (the above was just to the employees, they want them to come so they will subsequently talk it up to guests and customers -- all I did was scan the letter). It oughta be great, word is that the venue is state of the art.

I assume we'll have a pro light grid next Monday. I will come loaded for bear to get as many killer shots as I can.

Lighting grid in The Lounge was wimped out yet again tonight. Nothing but the 4-5 white front cans (and the curtain lights). Tough to get good pics. Here's some of my stash from the evening.

Jerry said that Nathan had been playing all day since 9 or 10 in the morning. Cat gotta have chops of carbon fibre titanium alloy, man!

Dr. Lenny had to drive up from his Michael Grimm Band gig in Laughlin just in time to do this gig. They'll be back at NY/NY next week, Tuesday & Wednesday 9 pm - 2 am, Thursday thru Saturday 4 pm - 9 pm. I've you've yet to hear Michael sing, you are missing a big amazing treat, and his band is tight and funky. Well worth a trip to The Big Apple Bar.

Both sets were great tonight, the energy was way high. Rochon in particular was dancin' all around while playin' the most unreal lines, with what looked like zero effort. And, his bass work in the ballad "Take My Heart Away" was like nothing I've ever heard from any other bass cat, no matter how good the chops. He was just sittin' on a stool behind Jerry giving his own concert for anyone tuned in to hear it -- but it never got in the way of the song. His melodic fluidity is simply beautiful. Cat is amazing.

The second set about had me losin' it. The new material is SO good, I can hardly stand it. In addition to Nathan and Dave's new tunes, which are crushingly fine, they did a tune by Will Champlin, "All My Might." Son of our hero Bill Champlin, Will is only about 24, but is already a compelling force to be reckoned with.

Dad sent him to Berklee, so his chops and theory knowledge are rock-solid, but his street-smart creative musical enthusiasm -- abetted by the great genes -- is simply wonderful. He's gonna be on Bill's upcoming solo CD. It is going to be unreal.

BTW- speaking of Nathan's tune "Come With Me" -- Rob Mader blew a tenor ride in that thing that was on fire! And the horn ensemble piece within that tune is old Doc Severinson Tonight Show band quality. I don't think that's an overstatement. Oh, yeah: speaking on on-fire solos, the dueling trumpets thing had the house roaring.

All in all, a great night of the unique Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns music. It's now 3:30 a.m., I guess I'll crash so I can be up at the crack of noon. No more Tuesday 8:30 "Morning Report" conference calls.

See y'all at the Pearl next Monday.

BTW- Notwithstanding gettin' kicked to the curb last week from my day gig, I just got a good feeling about the future, LOL! My latest two fortune cookies.